A “misunderstood” senior chihuahua who didn’t know how to trust humans has been given a second chance at life following his adoption.
Ever since she got two dogs in her sophomore year of college, Kelly Sites of Kansas City, Missouri, has had a soft spot for senior animals. When they both passed away, she told Newsweek that it became her mission to adopt senior dogs “in their honor” because she saw how appreciative they were of comfort and love during their twilight years.
In 2023, Sites, 39, went to visit Lil Paws, Big Hearts Chihuahua Rescue in Columbia, Missouri and instantly made a new friend. Charley the chihuahua, who was 13 years old at the time, ran straight up to Sites, jumped into her lap and started licking her face.
Charley made quite the first impression, and the animal rescuers were stunned because he wasn’t usually that friendly.
“The rescue owners were very concerned (and I think a little surprised) because he had severe behavioral issues,” Sites said. “I truly feel like Charley picked me, and after thinking about it for a day, I went back the next day and adopted him.
“The shelter told me that his previous owner’s family surrendered him. They didn’t know why, but they told me it’s likely due to his owner being elderly and either passing away or going into a nursing home,” she continued.
Sites learned that Charley hadn’t received much (if any) adoption interest because of his age and his behavior. He often displayed behavioral issues with people because he hadn’t “learned how to trust humans” during his life.
Sites wasn’t perturbed by any of that however, as she felt that they “immediately bonded” from the moment they met. As soon as she hopped into her lap, she knew she was meant to adopt Charley and give him a lovely home for the rest of his life.
“From the day that I adopted him, it feels like I’ve had Charley all my life. People were always shocked, especially in the early months, that he was newly adopted. He integrated into my family perfectly and has brought me so much joy and love,” Sites continued.
“There were of course some bumps in the road, especially with his behavior towards other people. I went to a trainer who specializes in aggressive dogs, and that helped tremendously, mostly for me to understand how to support him.”
Adopting a senior dog isn’t without its difficulties, as Sites found a lump on his stomach early on. It was a cancerous tumor and Charley had to undergo surgery to get it removed. Thankfully, Sites found the lump early and it hadn’t spread, so Charley is now cancer free.
His overall health has vastly improved now too, as Sites feeds Charley a diet of organic chicken breast, sweet potatoes and senior dog food. Although he does still love to indulge in some chicken nuggets every now and then.
Charley has come a long way since his adoption, and he’s now learned how to love and open up around people and other dogs. But that’s not to say he’s not very particular, as Sites joked that he will “always be a grumpy old man.”
Sites told Newsweek: “When I first adopted him, he would lunge, snarl, and bite at anyone who walked by. Now, he’s happy to trot on his way on a walk and not bother anyone. I let Charley warm up on his own and try to not force anything. I can tell he’s slowly realizing that he’s safe and that people won’t hurt him. He is very particular and likes his way. Charley’s favorite things are going for walks, rotisserie chicken, Vietnamese food, and his stuffed animals.”
Sites shared Charley’s rescue journey on TikTok (@hedwig.co), much to the delight of internet users. A post showing how far the 15-year-old dog has come in the last few years has melted plenty of hearts online, leading to more than 28,800 views and over 6,200 likes on TikTok at the time of writing.
The online reaction to Charley’s story is beyond anything Sites expected, and she hopes it may even inspire others to give a senior dog a second chance.
“I have no idea what Charley’s life was like before me, but I’m determined to give him the best possible second part of his life. I think there’s a lot of fear around it, and I’m hoping to show how much of a beautiful thing it can be,” Sites said.
With over 400 comments on the TikTok post, many people thanked Sites for saving Charley and for giving him the love he deserves.
One comment reads: “An angel met another angel. Thank you.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “He looks like he’s getting younger! Thank you for loving him.”
While another person replied: “This happy boy is aging in reverse.”
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